In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell introduce a new “church planter diary” style conversation where they discuss personal updates in the field of disciplemaking.

Peyton gives an update on The Abbey, the church plant he is leading in Carlsbad, and shares what God has been doing through house gatherings, a new meeting space, team leadership, Sunday discussion groups, communion, micro-testimonies, and everyday disciple-making in the neighborhood.

The conversation unpacks what it looks like to plant a church that is not just built around a Sunday service, but around people being formed, equipped, and released into mission where they already live. Peyton also talks about using Discipology in the church to pair people off, strengthen disciple-making, and help believers step into their own “micro mission.”

If you are a church planter trying to build from the ground up, rethink Sunday gatherings, train leaders, and mobilize everyday believers, this episode gives you a real-time look at the messy, practical, and encouraging work of planting from the trenches.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Simplify Church: simplifychurch.com

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones sits down with Dr. Michael Cooper to talk about his new book, Gods, Emperors, Philosophers, and a New Movement.

Building on his work in Ephesiology, Michael explores how archaeology helps us better understand the early church, the spread of the gospel, and the world Paul and the first Christians inhabited. From Ephesus to Laodicea, they discuss house churches, public gathering spaces, Christograms, the Hall of Tyrannus, and the evidence of Christian movement in the first centuries.

The conversation also challenges church planters to think beyond simple church growth formulas and recover the kind of patient, contextual, culturally engaged mission we see in the New Testament. The early church adapted to real places, engaged real people, and took the time to make disciples who could carry the gospel into new spaces.

If you want to understand first-century mission, think more deeply about church planting, and learn how history and archaeology can sharpen disciple-making today, this episode is for you.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Gods, Emperors, Philosophers, and a New Movement

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell put on the tinfoil hats and talk through aliens, AI, faith, science, and why none of it has to shake a biblical view of the world.

The conversation moves from UFO files and government disclosures to C.S. Lewis, quantum physics, angels, demons, creation, evolution, and the way people interpret evidence based on the assumptions they already bring to it. Peyton and Pete wrestle with why Christians don’t need to panic every time a new headline claims it will “change the way we read the Bible.”

Instead, they point leaders back to a grounded faith that can think clearly, ask honest questions, and stay rooted in Scripture while engaging the strange and confusing conversations happening in culture.

If you’re a church planter trying to lead people through a world of AI-generated content, conspiracy theories, spiritual confusion, and big questions about reality, this episode will help you think with more clarity and confidence.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell talk about why most churches never multiply—and why the issue usually starts long before a church is ready to plant again.

Peyton explains that churches can do a lot of things right and still fail to multiply if they are not mobilizing people on mission. Instead of building everything around Sunday gatherings, leaders need to slow down, invest in people, call out gifts, and help everyday believers take real steps into disciple-making.

The conversation unpacks the difference between addition and multiplication, why mobilization has to come first, and how pastors can begin creating a culture where people are equipped, sent, and ready to lead others.

If you want your church to move beyond gathering people and start multiplying disciples, this episode will help you focus on what matters most.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Simplify Church: simplifychurch.com

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell are joined by Luke Mitchell for a special pop-culture episode on The Mandalorian and Grogu.

After seven years without a Star Wars movie in theaters, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and whether this film helped bring Star Wars back. From Mando’s upgraded fighting skills to Grogu’s loyalty, puppet effects, deep-cut Easter eggs, and the long shadow of The Last Jedi, this conversation is full of honest reactions, ridiculous banter, and plenty of Star Wars nerding out.

If you love Star Wars, church planter humor, or just want to hear Peyton and Pete argue about huts, puppets, and whether Grogu is better than CGI, this one is for you.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Simplify Church: simplifychurch.com

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell talk about Discipology, small groups, AI, and what it takes to activate disciple-makers in the church.

Peyton unpacks why mobilization has to come before multiplication, and why churches cannot rely on content, programs, or technology alone to make disciples. From small-group growth to leadership development, he explains how disciple-making starts when everyday believers are equipped, sent, and supported as they help others follow Jesus.

The conversation also touches on the role of AI in ministry, the limits of technology, and why human connection, spiritual formation, and the work of the Spirit still matter deeply in church life.

If you want to move people from learning to action and build a culture where disciples actually make disciples, this episode will help you take the next step.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

NewBreed Training: https://newbreedtraining.com/

Discipology

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell tackle two major, yet wildly different conversations shaping the future of ministry: artificial intelligence and the growing interest in Greek Orthodoxy.

They begin by talking about how quickly AI is changing the workplace, why leaders need to pay attention, and how churches and businesses may need to adapt as jobs, tools, and opportunities shift. From there, the conversation moves into the rise of young men exploring Greek Orthodox tradition, liturgy, and authority.

Peyton and Pete unpack the tension between Scripture and tradition, the appeal of ancient practices, and why church planters need to be ready to answer thoughtful questions with clarity and conviction. This episode challenges leaders to think carefully about cultural change, theological formation, and how to help people follow Jesus without being swept along by trends.

If you’re a church planter, leader, or disciple-maker navigating a rapidly changing world, this conversation will help you stay grounded and lead with discernment.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.

In this episode of the Church Planter Podcast, Peyton Jones and Pete Mitchell talk about church marketing and how to use big days without losing sight of the mission.

Pete talks about the importance of small businesses being involved in their communities, and how churches can apply that idea to holidays like Easter and Christmas. Peyton explains the importance of Easter, Good Friday, and other high-attendance moments, as well as some of the missteps modern churches take in celebrating those days, and how we should look to connect with people, serve the community, and invite them into something deeper. But the goal is not just getting more people in the room. It is helping people follow Jesus and take steps toward disciple-making.

The conversation also covers community events, small groups, church communication tools, Facebook groups, and how leaders can create space for connection without letting chaos take over. Peyton shares practical examples from his own church plant, including neighborhood outreach, supporting other churches, preparing for growth, and building a culture where people are mobilized instead of just gathered.

If you are a church planter trying to reach your community without letting marketing replace disciple-making, this episode will help you think clearly about outreach, growth, and mission.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

NewBreed Training

Thanks for listening to the Church Planter Podcast. We’re here to help you go where no one else is going and do what no one else is doing to reach people no one else is reaching.

Make sure to review and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast service to help us connect with more church planters.